DISPENSING PACKAGE AND CONNECTING DEVICE

• US 3,591,054 A
• Filed: 04/07/1969
• Issued: 07/06/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wayne Gilbert De
• Original Assignee: Wayne Gilbert De
• Inventors: WAYNE GILBERT DE
• Application Number:
  US04/814,129
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• US Class Current: 222/65
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/68 Dispensing two or more contents , e.g. sequential dispensing or simultaneous dispensing of two or more products without mixing them

Abstract

Two aerosol-type containers are interconnected in operative assembly for simultaneously dispensing and mixing their contents by a connecting device comprising first and second members releasably connected to the respective containers. These two members are connected for limited relative rotation and for selective relative axial movement, and they have cooperating structure which in a first nondispensing position of relative rotation prevents said relative axial movement and in a second dispensing position of relative rotation permits said axial movement. A discharge spout unit on one of said members operatively connected to both members is adapted to dispense the mixed contents of both containers, whereby the contents are simultaneously discharged from both containers, mixed and dispensed from the spout unit when said cooperating structure is associated in said second dispensing position and the members and their respective containers have been moved toward each other. The containers may for example contain respectively fluid shave cream and a material adapted for exothermic interaction therewith for dispensing self-heated warm lather from the discharge spout.

Claims

1. A dispensing package comprising opposed containers each having movable discharge means for discharging the contents thereof, connector means mounting said containers in assembly, said connector means comprising first and second members mounted on the respective containers and connected for relative rotation, cooperating means on said members effective in a first position of relative rotation for preventing relative axial movement between said containers and effective in a second position of relative rotation for permitting relative axial movement between said containers and toward each other, and a discharge spout on said connector means for receiving both said container discharge means and for simultaneously dispensing and mixing the contents of said containers, whereby said contents are dischargeable from said containers through said spout only when said cooperating means is in said second position and said first and said second members and their respective containers are moved toward each other.

2. The dispensing package defined in claim 1, wherein said cooperating means comprises means providing only limited relative rotation of said members between said first and second positions.

3. The dispensing package defined in claim 1, wherein said members are provided with aligned opposed resilient sockets for mounting said containers on said connector means.

4. A connecting device adapted to dispense simultaneously the contents from opposed aligned containers each having a discharge means, said device comprising first and second members respectively adapted to be operatively connected to said containers, said members being connected for relative rotation and having cooperating means which in a first position of said relative rotation is effective and in a second position of said relative rotation is effective to permit axial movement between said members and toward each other, and a discharge spout on one of said members adapted to receive both said container discharge means and to dispense simultaneously the contents of both containers, whereby said contents are dischargeable from said containers when said cooperating means is in said second position and said first and second members and their respective containers have been moved toward each other.

5. In the connecting device defined in claim 4, said cooperating means comprising means connecting said members for only limited relative rotation between said first and second positions.

6. In the connecting device defined in claim 4, each of said members having a resilient socket for releasably mounting a container.

7. In the connecting device defined in claim 4, said spout being flexibly connected to said one member.

8. In the connecting device defined in claim 4, each of said members being an integral molded plastic structure.

9. In the connecting device defined in claim 4, one of said members comprising means defining a guide slot having a uniform width section and a wider section and the other of said members comprising a projection extending slidably into said slot, said projection being slidablE along said slot between said sections, cooperating means on said projection and adjacent said slot for limiting axial separation of said members, and cooperating means on said projection and adjacent said slot for preventing movement of said members toward each other except when the projection is in the wider section of the slot.

10. In the connecting device defined in claim 9, said slot being formed in a transverse wall of said one member and said cooperating means comprising opposed ledges on said projection adapted for sliding engagement with opposed surfaces of said wall.

11. In the connecting device defined in claim 10, a second projection on said wall at said wider slot section for preventing one of said ledges from extending over said wall at said wider slot section.

12. In the connecting device defined in claim 9, there being a plurality of cooperating slots and projections, spaced equally circumferentially around said device.

13. In the connecting device defined in claim 4, said discharge spout comprising a transverse tube having an inlet end axially centered in said device and formed with opposed bores for receiving respective valve stems of the containers, said bores being connected by a passage defining a mixing chamber laterally intersected by the passage defined by said tube, and said spout being integrally flexibly mounted on one of said members radially outwardly of said inlet member.

14. In the connecting device defined in claim 4, said members respectively having coaxial opposed inner skirts formed with container attaching end flanges.

15. In the connecting device defined in claim 4, check valve means in said discharge spout for preventing the contents of one container from passing into the other container.

16. In the connecting device defined in claim 4, means in said discharge spout for promoting admixture of said discharging container contents.

17. In the connecting device defined in claim 4, means in said cooperating means for preventing unintentional relative movement of said members into said second position.

18. A connecting device adapted to dispense simultaneously the contents from opposed aligned containers each having a depressible discharge valve stem projecting therefrom, said device comprising a transversely extending hollow spout formed at its inner end and centrally of said device with an inlet structure adapted to receive the contents discharged from said valve stems and containing a passage intermediately intersected by the opening through the spout and terminating at opposite ends in enlarged bores within which said valve stems are adapted to bottom when the device is assembled with said containers, and means flexibly mounting said spout on said device at a location disposed laterally outwardly of said inlet whereby said spout may displace to accommodate during assembly with said containers.

19. A connecting device adapted to dispense simultaneously the contents from opposed aligned containers each having a depressible discharge valve stem projecting therefrom, said device comprising a transversely extending hollow spout formed at its inner end and centrally of said device with an inlet structure adapted to receive the contents discharged from said valve stems and containing a passage intermediately intersected by the opening through the spout and terminating at opposite ends in enlarged bores within which said valve stems are adapted to bottom when the device is assembled with said containers, and check valve means in said inlet for preventing discharge of the contents of one container through said passage into said other container.

20. In the connecting device defined in claim 19, said check valve comprising an annular seat within that portion of the passage that extends between its intersection with the spout and the bore for receiving the other container, and a ball mounted for limited free float in said passage, said ball being pressure balanced and free of said seat when said containers are Discharging in normal operation, but being forced onto said seat by predetermined excess pressure in the other portion of said passage.